Warner Bros Wants Ben Affleck To Direct The Stand

It’s probably fair to express some doubts about whether The Stand is the kind of book that can be adapted to the big screen while still maintaining the excellent story and character depth that author Stephen King brought to the novel, but it’s also difficult not to be excited about the project, especially when you consider the casting possibilities. While the cast of the upcoming big-screen adaptation has yet to be determined, Warner Bros has chosen a director.

The Stand tells the story of an outbreak that destroys a good portion of the world’s population, leaving the survivors to split into two groups, one good, and the other evil. That's the very-condensed synopsis of the story. Much like some of Stephen King’s other excellent stories, The Stand is character-driven, with the story being told through different people, all of whom are connected by what’s going on.

According to Deadline, Warner Bros has handed the task of directing and adapting the novel to Ben Affleck. As Deadline notes, the actor, who has been doing some work behind the camera lately, including his current directorial project, Argo, has proven his skills as a director with Gone Baby Gone and The Town. The Stand won’t be an easy task, but Warner Bros apparently thinks he’s up for it. It may be worth noting that Deadline doesn’t state whether this is a done deal for Affleck to direct, or if Warner Bros has merely offered him the job and are hoping to move forward if he is available and interested.

King’s The Stand was adapted to a miniseries back in the ’90’s, with Gary Sinise and Molly Ringwald playing the leads. Other notable cast members include Rob Lowe and Laura San Giacomo. The miniseries was a decent adaptation, if memory serves, however even with the story spread out over six hours, it still felt abridged by comparison to the book. Is it too much to hope that they’ll split the movie into (at least) two parts when adapting it to the big screen?